steering problems...again

I put in a new steering box on my p reg 300 defender about a month ago and it was fine for a while then my steering went sort of lumpy. its very stiff sometimes then not so much other times. I replaced the steering pump a week ago and it was fine again, for a while, now im having the same trouble. anyone have any ideas whats going on?? I must have made a mistake when I put the steering box in. The belt is fine and not slipping. I loosened the bleed nut on the steering box to see if its got any pressure in there and the colour of my workshop roof shows the result .

If anyone has any ideas id be glad to hear them

Have ye checked yer track rod ends? They might be dry and worn

mate have you checked the joints like that other landy expert sed and also i would rebleed your system to do this top ur resivour up with fluid then put pipe onto steering box bleed nipple run up the engine hold steering onto full lock one side then open the bleed nipple then leave few seconds and tighten up and repeat on toher side do this two or 3 times and see if this helps but rember to keep ur fluid topped up obviously its really a 2 man job

Have you looked at the UJs on the steering shaft from the steering wheel to steering box. One might be half siezed up causing the steering to be tight then easy as you turn the wheel around.

phil62 said:

Have you looked at the UJs on the steering shaft from the steering wheel to steering box. One might be half siezed up causing the steering to be tight then easy as you turn the wheel around.

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Quite an easy job to do..

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f41/collapsible-steering-shaft-removal-63795.html

well I jacked it up and noticed that wheels have a huge amount of play in them when moved both up and down and side to side. i was told this could be the swivel house bearings? this would presumably affect the steering??

yes, and yes.

Fatforbes182 said:

well I jacked it up and noticed that wheels have a huge amount of play in them when moved both up and down and side to side. i was told this could be the swivel house bearings? this would presumably affect the steering??

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Ye could try takin' yer top swivel pin out and removin' a shim or two Experiment a bit to see if it's a thick one or a thin on or both, remember when doin' this that ye'll need to torque yer bolts on the top pin then check yer preload with a set of fishing scales. The book says the preload should be about 8 to 10lbs of pull but ah usually go for between 12 and 14lbs

Fatforbes182 said:

well I jacked it up and noticed that wheels have a huge amount of play in them when moved both up and down and side to side. i was told this could be the swivel house bearings? this would presumably affect the steering??

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Like buster said. And when youve taken all the shims out
and its still loose; you get to rebuild the swivil housing! (its not a bad job if you buy the kit).

Its worth testing it again for play once youve driven it abit. Mine was tight when i put it back together, but loosened up when it broke in again. That was after removing the shimms.


If its moving on both axis, could it not also be a wheel bearing?

nice one, thanks for the help. I'll get on it tomorrow and hopefully it will be sorted!

have a look at your steering damper